Campaign News

Bob Roggio joins Governor Ed Rendell
on the Road to Change Bus Tour

11.2.2008

Bob Roggio joined Governor Ed Rendell Saturday on the “Road to Change” Bus Tour across the 6th District.

Bob and the Governor traveled through a number of towns from Reading to Norristown, speaking to volunteers about the importance of electing Barack Obama and encouraging supporters to vote for the entire Democratic ticket.

Roggio and Rendell thanked the volunteers for all of their hard work, but appealed to them to keep working tirelessly from now through election day.

“I know you have been working vigorously for many months,” said Roggio to the volunteers at a stop in Coatesville. “We can't stop now. We can't take anything for granted. My opponent narrowly escaped defeat in the last 3 elections and I know that with your determination, we can finally take this seat back and have a strong Congress that will support our next President, Barack Obama!”

Governor Rendell echoed the sentiment that Obama's reported lead in Pennsylvania does not mean that this is any time to relax. He asked volunteers to work harder than ever to elect Obama and Democrats such as Bob Roggio. Rendell described Roggio as the kind of “humble, determined leader” whose support Obama will need in Congress to turn the country around.

Jim Gerlach Launches Predictable (and False) Negative Ads

Typical politician Jim Gerlach has a history of running dirty campaigns.

10.21.2008

In a ritual that has worn thin for Sixth District residents, Jim Gerlach recently launched his predictable and demonstrably false negative ads intended to deceive and mislead voters. Every two years since he first ran for Congress, Jim Gerlach has been criticized for his ads.

“There are three things that you can count on every October: the leaves changing colors, the World Series being played, and Jim Gerlach slinging lies and distortions,” said Roggio Campaign Manager, Liz Conroy. “Jim Gerlach’s tired, old political hackery is making people nauseous. They’re sick of it. They want change in Washington, but the only thing Jim Gerlach knows is the same old DC partisan negativity. Bob want to do things differently and, working with Barack Obama, he'll bring change to the Sixth District.”

Jim Gerlach has a well-documented record of using dirty campaign tactics. He has been accused of participating in an “astounding display of pettiness,”“name-calling,” and of “running a campaign of unbridled negativity.”[The Reading Eagle, 10/5/06]

Ads promoting Gerlach's campaign were criticized for “distorting facts and misleading voters” after being pulled from the air. [Philadelphia Inquirer, 10/3/06] The Philadelphia Inquirer referred to his methods as “So much mud to throw, so little time.”[Philadelphia Inquirer, 10/8/06]

Jim Gerlach is once again employing the same dirty and deceitful tricks this cycle in expensive television commercials and hundreds of thousands of mailers. Take a closer look: Jim Gerlach News.

Bob Roggio Releases Statement: We Need Leaders, Not Politicians

9.30.2008

Yesterday, our Congress failed to pass a necessary financial recovery package to rescue our economy. Within hours, world leaders spoke out against the bitter partisanship in Washington, and taxpayers grew exceedingly anxious about their retirement and college savings as the market reached its largest decline in 2 decades.

Make no mistake. We are forced to deal with this situation today because of the failed policies of George Bush and Jim Gerlach during the last 8 years. But this isn't about left and right, Republican or Democrat. This is about the people, the taxpayers who are left wondering what their leaders are doing in Washington.

Let me be clear. It is a tragedy that the taxpayers have been left to foot the bill of this disaster, but we have been left with no choice. We must act swiftly to fix this problem and protect the people. We cannot let the leaders who got us into this crisis to solve this crisis.

My opponent, Jim Gerlach, voted against the rescue package. I think his action was derelict, and I think he deserves to be fired because he cannot handle the business of America.

We cannot delay. We need leaders in Washington, not politicians.

Roggio Releases Plan to Strengthen Economy

9.23.2008

The United States is facing a record debt, crippling unemployment, and stagnant incomes, while basic costs like food, gas, tuition and health care continue to soar. Bob Roggio’s plan focuses on curtailing irresponsible spending in Washington and making smart investments for our economic future.

While Jim Gerlach continues to settle into the comfort of business as usual in Washington, Bob Roggio is calling for real change and new priorities. Bob’s plan focuses on providing tax cuts for the middle class, making investments in infrastructure, and creating jobs. Gerlach has consistently compromised fiscal discipline by voting for the special interests over the public interest. His plan preserves more of the same failed policies that have perpetuated irresponsible spending and led us to a record national debt.

Gerlach: Another Vote for Big Oil

This week Jim Gerlach took yet another pass on an opportunity to roll back oil-industry tax breaks. He has now accepted $102,280 in campaign contributions from Big Oil and continues to protect their giveaways while they rake in record profits.

Given a choice between providing tax incentives for wind and solar industries or furthering the Bush/Oil agenda in Washington, Jim Gerlach once again voted to defend the Big Oil status quo at the expense of our energy future.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, “the bill rolls back $18 billion in oil-industry tax breaks and imposes new oil and gas royalties, while giving tax incentives for wind and solar industries and for conservation.”